CUSD 300 Presents Cell‑Phone Study; Will Draft Policy Options After Stakeholder Input

Deputy Superintendent Mark Wetzel and Chief of Communications Anthony McInn presented results from a Handover Research study on student cell‑phone use and stakeholder perceptions, highlighting national context and local survey data. Wetzel opened with national statistics and local participation numbers—“Data from the National Center for Education Statistics … 91% of US teens own a smartphone,” and the district survey drew nearly 1,200 respondents and 134 focus‑group participants—then summarized that 61% of respondents said phones distract from class while views on instructional value were mixed.

McInn walked the board through detailed topline results: broad support for phone access before and after school, lower support for teacher‑supervised classroom use, and little support for total bans or mandatory clear backpacks. The presenters told the board the district will draft options for a refined cell‑phone policy in the fall, run targeted stakeholder engagement sessions to clarify choices, provide a winter update to the board if supported, and aim for implementation, if approved, in the 2026–27 school year.

Board members asked about sample composition and methodology. Administrators said the topline data included students, parents and staff and that the study used separate, age‑appropriate surveys for grades 4–5 and grades 6–12; Wetzel and McInn said the third‑party engagement was intended to provide a transparent baseline for later conversations with unions, staff, families and students.